Methods Of Patterning Materials, And Methods Of Forming Memory Cells
First Claim
1. A method of patterning one or more materials, comprising:
- forming a homogeneous mass over said one or more materials;
wherein the homogeneous mass comprises carbon;
forming a first patterned mask over the homogeneous mass, the first patterned mask comprising a plurality of spaced-apart features, the spaced-apart features having sidewall surfaces;
forming first spacers along the sidewall surfaces of the spaced-apart features;
removing the spaced-apart features to leave a second patterned mask corresponding to the first spacers;
partially etching into the homogeneous mass to transfer a pattern of the second patterned mask partially through the homogeneous mass;
the partially etched homogeneous mass being a third patterned mask;
the third patterned mask comprising spaced-apart pedestals that have sidewall surfaces, the spaced-apart pedestals of the third patterned mask being supported by an unetched remaining portion of the homogeneous mass;
removing the first spacers from over the third patterned mask, and then forming second spacers along the sidewall surfaces of the spaced-apart pedestals;
the second spacers forming a fourth patterned mask;
etching through the remaining portion of the homogeneous mass to transfer a pattern of the fourth patterned mask through the homogeneous mass and to thereby pattern the homogeneous mass and form features comprising homogenous mass material and overlying second spacer material;
removing the second spacer material; and
utilizing the patterned homogeneous mass to impart a pattern into said one or more materials.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Some embodiments include methods of patterning materials. A mass may be formed over a material, and a first mask may be formed over the mass. First spacers may be formed along features of the first mask, and then the first mask may be removed to leave a second mask corresponding to the first spacers. A pattern of the second mask may be partially transferred into the mass to form an upper portion of the mass into a third mask. The first spacers may be removed from over the third mask, and then second spacers be formed along features of the third mask. The second spacers are a fourth mask. A pattern of the fourth mask may be transferred into a bottom portion of the mass, and then the bottom portion may be used as a mask during processing of the underlying material.
128 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of patterning one or more materials, comprising:
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forming a homogeneous mass over said one or more materials;
wherein the homogeneous mass comprises carbon;forming a first patterned mask over the homogeneous mass, the first patterned mask comprising a plurality of spaced-apart features, the spaced-apart features having sidewall surfaces; forming first spacers along the sidewall surfaces of the spaced-apart features; removing the spaced-apart features to leave a second patterned mask corresponding to the first spacers; partially etching into the homogeneous mass to transfer a pattern of the second patterned mask partially through the homogeneous mass;
the partially etched homogeneous mass being a third patterned mask;
the third patterned mask comprising spaced-apart pedestals that have sidewall surfaces, the spaced-apart pedestals of the third patterned mask being supported by an unetched remaining portion of the homogeneous mass;removing the first spacers from over the third patterned mask, and then forming second spacers along the sidewall surfaces of the spaced-apart pedestals;
the second spacers forming a fourth patterned mask;etching through the remaining portion of the homogeneous mass to transfer a pattern of the fourth patterned mask through the homogeneous mass and to thereby pattern the homogeneous mass and form features comprising homogenous mass material and overlying second spacer material; removing the second spacer material; and utilizing the patterned homogeneous mass to impart a pattern into said one or more materials. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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2. (canceled)
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12. A method of patterning one or more materials, comprising:
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forming a carbon-containing mass over said one or more materials;
wherein the carbon-containing mass is homogeneous;forming a hard mask over the carbon-containing mass; forming a patterned photoresist mask over the hard mask, the patterned photoresist mask comprising a plurality of spaced-apart features, the spaced-apart features having sidewall surfaces; forming silicon dioxide spacers along the sidewall surfaces of the spaced-apart features; removing the spaced-apart features to leave a second patterned mask corresponding to the silicon dioxide spacers; etching through the hard mask and partially into the carbon-containing mass to transfer a pattern of the second patterned mask through the hard mask, into an upper portion of the carbon-containing mass, and not into a lower portion of the carbon-containing mass;
the upper portion of the carbon-containing mass being a third patterned mask;
the third patterned mask comprising spaced-apart pedestals that have sidewall surfaces, the spaced-apart pedestals of the third patterned mask being supported by the lower portion of the carbon-containing mass;removing the silicon dioxide spacers from over the third patterned mask, and then forming second spacers along the sidewall surfaces of the spaced-apart pedestals;
the second spacers forming a fourth patterned mask;etching through the remaining portion of the carbon-containing mass to transfer a pattern of the fourth patterned mask through the carbon-containing mass and to thereby pattern the carbon-containing mass forming features comprising carbon-containing mass material and overlying second spacer material; removing the second spacer material; and utilizing the patterned carbon-containing mass to impart a pattern into said one or more materials. - View Dependent Claims (13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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14-15. -15. (canceled)
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23. A method of forming memory cells, comprising:
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forming a homogeneous mass over a memory gate stack;
wherein the homogeneous mass comprises carbon;forming a first patterned mask over the homogeneous mass, the first patterned mask comprising a plurality of spaced-apart first features; forming second features aligned to the first features, the second features being formed on opposing sidewall surfaces of the first features; removing the first features to leave a second patterned mask corresponding to the second features; transferring a pattern of the second patterned mask only partially into the homogeneous mass to form an upper portion of the homogeneous mass into a third patterned mask, while leaving a lower portion of the homogeneous mass unaltered;
the third patterned masking comprising third features;forming fourth features aligned to the third features of the third patterned mask, the fourth features being formed on opposing surfaces of the third patterned mask;
the fourth features forming a fourth patterned mask;transferring a pattern of the fourth patterned mask through the lower portion of the homogeneous mass to form pattern features comprising homogenous mass material and overlying silicon dioxide; and after removing the silicon dioxide, transferring the pattern of the fourth patterned mask through the memory gate stack to pattern the memory gate stack into a plurality of memory cells. - View Dependent Claims (24, 26, 27)
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25. (canceled)
Specification